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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Developments at Gallipoli


Chris_Baker

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I spent last summer in Gallipoli. What I saw in Suvla was a big parcel of land for sale between Hill 60 CWGC and the beach. It's big enough for a commercial development, possibly an hotel or holiday complex. If that is developed and the adjacent beach is cleaned up, then the remains of the British lighter on the beach could be threatened.

Suvla Bay is attracting more tourists; some of the fishermen's huts have been upgraded and there are now a couple of fish restos. Some new builds in the form of weekend cabins for Istanbulers, but nothing substantial.

I had some pics to share,but I lost my camera.

Against this is some evidence that the area is over-provided with accommodation. There was lots of new capacity added in Eceabat for the 2015 centenary. The question now is: can it be filled to an economic level in other years? I would say not. This is good for tourists since it will depress prices throughout the peninsular; it's bad for investors since lower prices will cut returns.

Whoever wants to develop Suvla is going to have to do something about the roads to the Bay from Anzac. There was no sign of this.

More important is that tourism in Turkey is going through a very bad patch as the political and economic situation deteriorates. Unfortunately this looks set to continue.

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I anticipate this comment will bring down a heap of ordure on me but: I wonder, just how realistic is our hope and expectation for protection of battlefields in places like Gallipoli? Should we perhaps expect and recognise the change now that 100 years are past since the war, in another country with different beliefs, expectations and wishes like Turkey? .

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how realistic is our hope and expectation for protection of battlefields in places like Gallipoli?

I've not yet visited Gallipoli - going with Peter H in September - but this place has been untouched and ignored for hundreds of years - it is a 'useless' area of rock and scrub. The ONLY reason there is any prospect of development is because of WW1 and people like us, but whoever controls development on the peninsula needs to appreciate we will only visit while it retains its visual identity with 1915. Blocking the view from Hill 60, for example, to the beach would destroy this visual identity - Gallipoli is defined by the struggle to get from beach to mountain and being able to stand on the mountain and see the beach and everything between is absolutely critical.

Building a Las Vegas on the site that once was Gallipoli will mean people like us will not visit anymore, and I'm not sure they will be able to attract 'normal' tourists to the place just by building hotels etc (plus there are far easier/better places to build a Las Vegas on the Turkish coastline should they wish to...).

James

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David - Gallipoli does rank highly in Turkish consciousness because of its connections with Ataturk. Every Turkish child has a trip there. Suvla much less so than Helles. Few UK battlefield tourists go there, let alone Turks.

It is hard to ascertain Gallipoli's attractions as a tourist hot spot. The general climate is not favourable. Few tourists go to Turkey just to visit Gallipoli; it's part of a package which includes Istanbul. How have recent events diminished that city's appeal? On the other hand it is relatively safe - it is a long way from Eastern Turkey and what lies over the border.

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would it not be good to have timeshare / retirement villas at suvla?

Good for whom?

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  • 2 weeks later...

David - Gallipoli does rank highly in Turkish consciousness because of its connections with Ataturk. Every Turkish child has a trip there. Suvla much less so than Helles. Few UK battlefield tourists go there, let alone Turks.

It is hard to ascertain Gallipoli's attractions as a tourist hot spot. The general climate is not favourable. Few tourists go to Turkey just to visit Gallipoli; it's part of a package which includes Istanbul. How have recent events diminished that city's appeal? On the other hand it is relatively safe - it is a long way from Eastern Turkey and what lies over the border.

My Nephew was married to a Turkish girl - none of her family actually knew of Gallipoli or its location. The only time I heard a mention of Ataturk was by a taxi driver when we passed the memorial and I seemed to know more about the chap than he did!

The family come from Izmir, so not a million miles away from Gallipoli.

Steve

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"My Nephew was married to a Turkish girl - none of her family actually knew of Gallipoli or its location"

This can't be true

Afraid so. I asked them about Gallipoli and Mustapha Kemal - blank stares - ages from 50 to 20s in family.

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I believe the remains of the British lighter at the beach is to be cleaned up soon anyway

Mustafa,

Is that 'cleaned up' as in properly preserved as a historic artefact

Or 'cleaned up' as in removed and scrapped

regards

Michael

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"Afraid so. I asked them about Gallipoli and Mustapha Kemal - blank stares - ages from 50 to 20s in family."

It was your pronunciation Steve. Everybody in Turkey, from the age of 5, know about Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

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Steve, I worked in Turkey for three years. Everybody knows - it is impossible not to know. Every classroom has his picture, every desk of every public official has his bust. Schools have Ataturk days devoted to his life. His statue is in most public places.

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  • 3 months later...

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